Tape drives, also known as magnetic tape drives, are used for storing and retrieving data on magnetic tape. There are several synonymous terms used for tape drives depending on the context and industry. In the computing industry, tape drives are referred to as tape units, tape decks, or tape recorders. In data backup and storage, tape drives are also known as backup drives. In the entertainment industry, tape drives may be called reels or reel-to-reel tape decks. Regardless of the term used, tape drives have been an important part of data storage for decades and continue to be used today in various industries.